Guided by disciplined analysis, thoughtful risk management, and a commitment to acting in our clients’ best interests, every recommendation we make is designed to protect and grow your wealth.
Our Practice
Veridus Wealth Advisory was founded on a singular principle: wealth management must be objective, evidence-based, and aligned entirely with the client’s long-term success. Operating as an independent wealth management practice under the Independent Financial Partners (IFP) umbrella, we work free from proprietary product mandates or corporate sales quotas to deliver institutional-caliber portfolio management and holistic financial planning.
Principal & Wealth Advisor
Carlos A. Hernandez is the founder and Principal of Veridus Wealth Advisory, bringing 28 years of dedicated financial services experience to his clients. He specializes in designing disciplined retirement income roadmaps, risk-managed investment strategies, and long-term legacy plans for affluent individuals, professionals, and retirees.
Entering the financial industry in 1998, Carlos built his practice on a foundation of long-term client advocacy and structural stability. Prior to establishing Veridus, he spent 25 years as a leading wealth advisor with Corebridge Financial, where he guided hundreds of clients through complex wealth accumulation and critical retirement transitions.
As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Carlos is bound by a rigorous ethical and fiduciary standard. He utilizes deep, highly analytical frameworks—leveraging tools like eMoney and Envestnet—to solve complex financial challenges. By partnering with IFP for regulatory oversight and Fidelity Institutional and BNY Pershing for asset custody, Carlos ensures his clients benefit from enterprise-grade security and uncompromising transparency.
Based in Tampa, Florida, Carlos is an avid road cyclist and tennis player. He and his wife, Camille, have two children, Gaby and Oliver.
Our Partner
As a client of Veridus Wealth Advisory, you benefit from our partnership with Independent Financial Partners (IFP). IFP provides a wide range of services, including in-house compliance, marketing, technology, and business operations. This support allows us to offer personalized options for your individual needs and gives us access to IFP’s nationwide network of financial, legal, and insurance experts. IFP is a broker-dealer and registered investment advisor whose independent platform empowers firms like ours to deliver a better client experience through freedom of choice and continually evolving tools. At Veridus Wealth Advisory, we strive to provide the best possible financial planning solutions, supported by IFP’s expertise and resources.
CFA®, CFP®
Chief Investment Officer
Aaron Gilman joined the Independent Financial Partners team in 2011 and serves as Chief Investment Officer. In this role, Aaron leads the firm’s investment research, due diligence, and portfolio management activities for IFP Advisors and IFP Securities. He also oversees IFP Asset Management and provides investment strategy and portfolio construction guidance to IFP’s advisors.
Aaron combines his investment management experience with a background in software development and quantitative research. He developed AssetManagementX, IFP’s internal asset management platform, and integrates technology into portfolio construction, trading, and advisor service.
Aaron graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Finance with a minor in Real Estate.
Aaron holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation through the CFA Institute and the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® certification.
CFA®
Director of Asset Management
Pete Nunley joined the Independent Financial Partners team as the Director of Asset Management in April 2013. In this role, Pete oversees IFP Asset Management’s model portfolio offerings, conducts due diligence on all types of investments and products and provides portfolio construction guidance to IFP’s advisors. Pete also serves on IFP’s investment advisory committee.
Prior to joining IFP, Pete served as a Business Analyst for Citigroup’s global custody business in Tampa, Florida and as an Operations Analyst for Goldman Sachs’ Investment Banking Operations department in New York City.
Pete graduated summa cum laude from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Operations Management. Additionally, Pete earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida’s Hough Graduate School of Business in April 2013.
Pete holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation through the CFA Institute and is a member of the CFA Society of Tampa Bay.
Alternative Investments
Jake Muehlschlegel is responsible for performing the initial and on-going due diligence of alternative investments at IFP. Alternative investments include private real estate, hedge funds, private equity/credit, and real assets. Jake also serves as an extension of IFP’s wealth management teams to provide insight on manager selection and customized alternative strategies. Lastly, Jake assists IFP’s wealth management teams in completing complex tax strategies such as securitized 1031 exchanges and Qualified Opportunity Zone investments.
We sit on the same side of the table as our clients. As an independent practice, we are not constrained by proprietary products or corporate sales quotas.
We avoid the guesswork of market timing in favor of a disciplined, well-balanced investment approach designed to give you confidence and consistency through every market cycle.
Investments are only one component of wealth. We integrate portfolio management seamlessly with cash flow modeling, tax-efficient drawdown strategies, and estate coordination.
Schedule a Consultation
If you are preparing for a critical financial transition or seeking a second opinion on your current portfolio architecture, contact us to schedule a confidential introductory meeting.